If you like having your personal information shared online, the government has just the website for you. It’s HealthCare.gov.
That’s right, the site your friends at the federal government set up so you could purchase government-subsidized health insurance allows details such as your age, income, ZIP code, whether you smoke or if you’re pregnant to be gleaned by dozens of data companies.
HealthCare.gov., of course, is one aspect of the Affordable Care Act, the same program President Barack Obama dared Republicans in Congress to veto any part of during his State of the Union address last week while pledging cooperation with the majority party out of the other side of his mouth.
And this is the same president who, in the same address, called for stronger cybersecurity protections.
Quite naturally, administrative officials say the data companies are barred from using individual data to further their own business interests, but this is the same administration that promised citizens could keep their insurance plan, retain their current doctor and would not see their insurance premiums rise.